LOCAL AND GENERAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 696, 15 May 1879, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

It is a settled opinion that the Queen's Birthday shall be commemorated by a general holiday in Gisborne ; but the 24th of May falls on a Saturday, and Saturday of all other days in the week is the one which tradespeople can least afford to lose. Times are too hard just now for men in business to miss a chance of doing a little trade. For professional men, one day is almost as another ; but this is not the case with storekeepers.. Therefore, we say, allow Saturday be to given to business, and make holiday' on the Monday. Her Majesty will not the less be remembered by loyal hearts for the brief postponement. Monday is a better day in many respects, allowing as it does the Sunday to pass over without men being so used up as to neglect its observance. We have spoken to many business people on the subject, and they one and all express an opinion that a Saturday's holiday, just now, is what they will nob consent to. However, there should be a unanimous feeling on the subject, or we shall have one of those objectionable bastard holidays, where half the town will be at work, and the other half at play — a thing by all means to be avoided.

We have, in the present issue, commenced a Trade Directory, alphabetically classified, giving the names of all who advertise in our columns without making any aditional charge for the the same. To those who desire merely to be placed in the Directory their name, trade, or profession, will be published in full at a charge of ss. per quarter. Should any business house carry on two or more distinctive businesses:— such, for instance, as drapery, grocery and ironmongery these will be placed under separate headings for the same charge of five shillings per quarter.

Mr. McFarlane's Music . and Concert Hall will, it is expected, be completed by the end of the present month. It is Mr. McFarlane's intention to give the proceeds of the opening night's entertainment to the Makaraka School Committee. The entertainment will take the form of a concert, Mr. McFarJane supplying a well-selected band of music at his own cost. Several of ,Gisborne's best amateurs, both ladies and. gentlemen, have promised their aid on the occasion,- and nothing will be left untried to give eclat to the opening night.

The Superintendent of the Armed Constabulary, calls for tenders for forage and farriery for the A.C. horses at the Gisborne and Ormond stations, for 12 months.

The Returning Officer for the Borough of Gisborne notifies that the election of auditors for the ensuing year, will be held during the present mouth. Nominations for the auditorships must be sent in to the Town Clerk's office, addressed to the Returning officer, by noon on the 23rd inst. It is the intention of the two auditors for the current year to offer themselves for re-election.

Messrs. Ferris and Fitt will sell on Saturday, at their mart, 40 sacks of prime oats ; and on Friday, 23rd inst., at the Makaraka yards, 33 steers, a number of fat cattle, together with about 20 head of good stores.

The Rev. Father Chastagnon has, we regret to learn, sustained a severe sprain of one of his ankles, caused by dismouuting from his horse, when his foot, instead of reachiug the ground, caught against the stump of a tree. The Rev. Father will not be able to leave his bed for a short time.

The very interesting ceremony of the inducting of the Rev. John McAra to the pastorate of the Gisborne Presbyterian Church, was performed last evening by the Rev. R. Fraser, of Waipukarau, who was deputed by the Hawke's Bay Presbytery for the purpose. There were a great number or the congregation present, and a good sprinkling of members of other churches, and the address of the reverend gentleman, chiefly bearing on the corelative duties of a 'pastor and his congregation, was listened to throughout with the greatest attention. At the conclusion of the service, the Rev. John McAra was introduced by the office bearers to the members of the Church.

The Dunedin Star remarks :— The following advertisement which appears in the Tuapeka Times, shows that the Chinese are quite alive to their position : — "Notice to Europeans Employing Chinese. — Notice is hereby given that any European who may require the services of the Chinese shall be expected to pay the usual rate of wages ; and if any Chinese employed are not worth the full rate, the employer is requested to discharge him, . or pay him the full rate. — Thos. Chin Sing, agent." This is rather smart when considered in all its bearings.

The common English spajl has this year made its first appearance in Hawke's Bay, and several gardens in Napier are suffering from the pest, which has increased with marvellous rapidity. In Auckland this snail has been acclimatised for some years, and it is believed that it has been introduced into Napier on plants imported from Auckland.

Mr. Alfred Horatio Bull, formerly well known in Auckland and the Thames, writes to the Cape Town Times, from Worcester, South Africa, advocating the cultivation of the phormium of this colony as a profitable crop for the farmer in South Africa. He says : — " The climate of this (Cape) colony is every way fitted for the growth of flax. It is the same latitude, 34 S., and the temperature is in every way nimilar to Auckland, New Zealand. I have often wondered why it has never been introduced into the colony. I have often made the remark to friends of mine how well the New Zealand flax would thrive here especially in those valleys that are at present lying waste. I am sure that if once tried it would form one of the great products of this colony, and be the means of greatly increasing its wealth and prosperity."